Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken, and will take, to prevent possible infection from imported potatoes affecting the Scottish potato industry.

Allan Wilson: No seed potatoes from outwith the EU (and Switzerland) are permitted to be marketed or planted in Scotland. Ware (i.e. for consumption) potatoes may be imported from a number of European and Mediterranean countries provided they are certified by the competent authorities in the country of origin and meet specified plant health requirements. There is freedom of movement of potatoes within the EU.

  In 2001 following concerns about potato ring rot in German potatoes the Executive introduced a statutory notification requirement on the movement of potatoes into Scotland from Germany. In addition the Executive operates a voluntary notification and testing arrangement in respect of the movement of seed potatoes from other member states. This arrangement is applied on relatively few occasions as the Scottish potato industry operates a voluntary ban on seed potato movements into Scotland. Potato ring rot and brown rot have never been found in any potato movements into Scotland, apart from in material tested in the UK Potato Quarantine Unit.

  In the light of the recent ring rot outbreak in Wales we are considering with the other UK administrations and with potato representative organisations what further action should be taken in order to protect our potato production.

Broadcasting

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had into the appointment of a Director of OFCOM for Scotland.

Mr Frank McAveety: The recruitment of the Director of OFCOM in Scotland is a matter for the regulator itself. Although OFCOM has updated us with progress on this appointment, the Executive has no formal role in the process.

Broadcasting

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it had in the recent appointment of a new Controller of BBC Scotland.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive had no involvement in this internal BBC appointment.

Children and Young People

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Children’s Charter.

Peter Peacock: Protecting Children and Young People – the Charter is being launched today. Part of the response to the findings of the audit and review of child protection, It’s Everyone’s Job to Make Sure I’m Alright , was a commitment to develop a Children’s Charter. This was reaffirmed in A Partnership for a Better Scotland in May 2003. The charter was developed in conjunction with Save the Children and in consultation with children and young people and their families, as well as professionals in the statutory and voluntary sectors.

  We are also issuing today a Framework for Standards for all agencies to help translate the charter into practice. This is part of a package of on-going developments in the child protection reform programme. The framework, with the charter, provides the overarching context for further work in the reform programme to help deliver better outcomes for children and young people.

  Copies of both these documents have been placed in Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 31624 and 31625) and on the Scottish Executive website.

Drug Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Drugs Forum's response to the Executive's review of drug treatment and rehabilitation services, what steps will be taken to implement the recommendations that (a) there is a need to develop standard monitoring and evaluation arrangements for agencies across all the contracted areas of work to reduce agency bureaucracy and the multiple reporting mechanisms that currently exist, (b) funding for drugs services should be in-built into government budgets over the long term and (c) agencies should be given rolling contracts of a minimum of three years duration to end current practice of year-to-year contracts and funding.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Drugs Forum's response to the Executive's review of drug treatment and rehabilitation services, what action will be taken to implement the recommendation that specific funding should be made available for outreach programmes in order to improve early intervention and accessibility to mainstream provision.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Drugs Forum's response to the Executive's review of drug treatment and rehabilitation services, what steps will be taken to implement the recommendations that (a) family support posts should be created within specialist drug agencies and (b) research to consider how best to respond and support children of problem drug users living with grandparents should be commissioned.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Drugs Forum's response to the Executive's review of drug treatment and rehabilitation services, what steps will be taken to implement the recommendations that (a) each NHS board should have a blood-borne virus strategy in place that includes a specific focus on hepatitis C treatment issues for problem drug users and (b) a hepatitis B immunisation programme for injecting users should be instigated.

Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6840 on 19 March 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Elderly People

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision in respect of NHS Argyll and Clyde’s recommended option for the modernisation of older peoples’ services for Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.

Malcolm Chisholm: I am aware that Argyll and Clyde NHS Board considered the modernisation of older peoples’ services in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire at its meeting in February.

  I have recently received the report of the public consultation on the proposed modernisation and the board’s recommendation. I will consider this information carefully before deciding whether to endorse the proposals.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of electricity and heating will be generated using combined heating and power (CHP) in 2020.

Lewis Macdonald: This is not possible to predict. The UK is broadly on course to meet the interim CHP target of 5,000 MWe in 2005 and is now actively working towards a target of at least 10,000 MWe by 2010.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the study into energy supply and use in Scotland to inform the development of an integrated strategy for demand-side management of renewable energy, as referred to in Securing a Renewable Future: Scotland's Renewable Energy.

Lewis Macdonald: We are currently seeking declarations of interest from organisations across Europe, who would wish to undertake the study on behalf of the Executive. The formal tender process will commence in early April.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in discussions with the Distributed Generation Co-ordination Group with regard to the optimisation of the potential for small-scale distributed generation.

Lewis Macdonald: The Distributed Generation Co-ordinating Group (DGCG) is making significant progress on a cross-section of technical, regulatory and commercial issues relevant to the removal of barriers to the connection of distributed generation, including small-scale generating technologies. The DGCG's second report, which will give an overview of its work from 1 January to 31 December 2003, will be published shortly.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) householders and (b) communities have secured grant funding for small-scale renewable projects.

Lewis Macdonald: Our Scottish Community & Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) has funded approximately 43 projects to date, including several applications by groups of householders. We will shortly be publishing case studies of projects funded by the SCHRI at www.est.co.uk/schri .

  In addition, 13 projects have been funded by the DTI’s Major Photovoltaic Demonstration Programme in Scotland to date, and 3 Scottish projects have been awarded a combined total of over £5 million under the latest round of DEFRA’s Community Energy Scheme.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what energy efficiency measures are required in planning applications for housing, commercial and industrial developments.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Executive supports the efficient use of energy in new developments and promotes this through planning policy, which recognises the benefit of good design as a means of achieving energy conservation. This is stated in both Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 2: Economic Development and SPP3: Planning for Housing (Bib. numbers 25318 and 26732 respectively). Planning authorities should take this into account when deciding planning applications.

  In addition, within the building regulations, there are mandatory requirements relating to the conservation of fuel and power.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote the use of combined heating and power (CHP) in new housing, commercial and industrial developments.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We promote the use of combined heat and power in partnership with the Community Energy Programme. It is funded by the UK-wide Capital Modernisation Fund through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and managed by the Energy Saving Trust.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it and local authorities can provide to public sector organisations to make applications to the Community Energy Programme.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We support a post within the Energy Saving Trust (Scotland) to provide specific help to Scottish applicants to the Community Energy Programme. The community energy helpline is also available to all applicants.

Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many applications have been made from Scotland to the Community Energy Programme and, of these, how many have secured a grant.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: To date there have been 33 capital grant applications made from Scotland, and 15 have been funded. There have also been 32 development grant applications made and 22 have been funded. In total Scottish bids have received £10.3 m of capital, representing 37% of the total funding granted throughout the UK.

Enterprise

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding Scottish Enterprise Borders has received in each financial year since 2000-01 and will receive in 2004-05.

Mr Jim Wallace: Allocation of budgets to local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. Information for 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03 is available from the published accounts of Scottish Enterprise which are laid before the Parliament each year.

Football

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult grass roots organisations involved in football, as well as the Scottish Football Association (SFA), in respect of the support and development of the game at grass roots level and, if so, what organisations it will consult and when they will be consulted.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Executive has been fully involved in the independent review of youth football commissioned by the SFA. The consultants’ approach to the review was consultative and inclusive and involved consultations, including a series of stakeholder workshops, with organisations and individuals in football, local authorities and others. We and the SFA have been considering how best the recommendations stemming from the review can be progressed and implemented and we hope to make an announcement soon.

Genetically Modified Crops

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any applications have been received from Syngenta to plant, and grow, GM maize Bt 176 in Scotland

Allan Wilson: GM maize (Bt 176) has commercial consent enabling it to be grown anywhere in the European Union. This consent is valid until 17 October 2006.

  The maize is marketed primarily for its resistance to the European Corn Borer pest. The Corn Borer is not present in the UK and no application has been made by Syngenta to place this GM variety on the national seeds list.

Health

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6071 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 March 2004, what the reasons are for its decision not to arrange for clinical trials of the anti-dementia drug memantine (Exiba).

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive encourages patient entry into clinical trials but has no locus in setting these up.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many accused persons released on bail have been convicted in each year since 2000.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is contained in the research report Offending on bail: an analysis of the use and the impact of aggravated sentences for bail offenders which was published on 17 March 2004.

Justice

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been of shop owners or managers for selling alcohol to a person under the legal age limit in each of the last five years, broken down by licensing board area.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information, which relates to offences by licensed persons, is given in the following table. Prosecutions of shop owners or managers cannot be identified separately within these statistics.

  Number of licensed persons proceeded against for selling alcohol to persons aged under 18(1), by local authority area, Scotland, 1998-2002

  

  Local Authority Area
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002(2)


 Aberdeen City
 -
 2
 3
 -
 3


 Aberdeenshire
 8
 4
 4
 1
 2


 Angus
 -
 2
 -
 1
 -


 Argyll and Bute
 3
 1
 1
 -
 1


 Clackmannanshire
 -
 -
 4
 -
 -


 Dumfries and Galloway
 7
 3
 -
 -
 -


 Dundee City
 3
 2
 2
 2
 3


 East Ayrshire
 3
 2
 3
 3
 2


 East Dunbartonshire
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -


 East Lothian
 -
 -
 1
 3
 -


 East Renfrewshire
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Edinburgh, City of
 13
 1
 2
 3
 6


 Eilian Siar
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Falkirk
 4
 2
 2
 3
 4


 Fife
 5
 1
 8
 2
 -


 Glasgow City
 16
 3
 14
 8
 4


 Highland
 3
 1
 3
 2
 2


 Inverclyde
 2
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Midlothian
 6
 -
 1
 1
 -


 Moray
 4
 1
 -
 2
 -


 North Ayrshire
 9
 5
 -
 -
 1


 North Lanarkshire
 10
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Perth and Kinross
 8
 13
 1
 -
 1


 Renfrewshire
 1
 -
 -
 2
 -


 Scottish Borders
 -
 3
 2
 3
 5


 Shetland Islands
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1


 South Ayrshire
 3
 1
 2
 5
 4


 South Lanarkshire
 8
 8
 5
 4
 4


 Stirling
 2
 1
 -
 -
 1


 West Dunbartonshire
 3
 2
 2
 -
 -


 West Lothian
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Total
 124
 58
 62
 48
 44



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Number of persons acquitted may be under-stated in the figures for persons proceeded against due to recording delays.

NHS Boards

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards (a) are and (b) are not meeting Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines that all patients who have experienced persistent inflammation of the joints for more than six to eight weeks and are receiving simple painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs are to be referred for specialist opinion and treatment within 12 weeks of the onset of treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

  NHS boards should take account of all guidelines issued by SIGN.

NHS Boards

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards prescribe Subutex.

Malcolm Chisholm: Analysis of NHS prescription data for the year ended 31 December 2003 shows that Subutex has been dispensed in all NHS board areas except Borders, Orkney and Western Isles. These data cover items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account items dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

NHS Equipment

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has at the variation in the age of medical equipment across NHS trusts and that "some trusts are relying heavily on equipment that is beyond its standard life", as referred to in Audit Scotland's report, Better Equipped to Care? - Follow-up report on managing medical equipment , and what action it is taking to remedy the situation and, in particular, to ensure that trusts have sufficient funds to replace old equipment.

Malcolm Chisholm: The concerns highlighted in the report about the age of equipment have been noted and will be acted upon where necessary at local level. However, the report does make clear that whilst some equipment is passed its expected useful life, where it is working well and can be maintained and is fit for purpose, there is no need to replace it immediately.

  The distribution of the NHS capital budget for 2004-05 was announced on 11 March with the Executive making record levels of capital investment available in NHSScotland. By 2005-06 capital resources will be £420 million which is an increase of 300% over the 1997 level.

  An amount of capital is allocated to NHS boards on a "formula" basis and this is generally used for the purchase of equipment as well as investment in the NHSScotland estate. It is for individual NHS boards to determine, on an annual basis, the level of funding required for new and replacement medical equipment taking into account other local and national priorities. NHS boards can use both capital and revenue resources to meet equipment costs. The use of PPP where appropriate also frees up additional capital resources to deal with issues such as medical equipment.

  In addition the Executive has centrally funded programmes in excess of £40 million since 2000 for investment in medical equipment.

NHS Waiting Times

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive what the average waiting time has been for a patient to be referred for rheumatologist specialist opinion and treatment in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant, following referral by a General Medical Practitioner, and for inpatient and day case treatment, in the specialty of Rheumatology, by NHS Board area of residence, in each year since 1999, are given in the tables.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times For a First Out-patient Appointment with a Consultant in the Specialty of Rheumatology, Following a General Medical Practitioner Referral, by NHS Board of Residence: Years Ended 30 September 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003P.

  

 
 Median 
  Wait (days)


 NHS Board
 30 
  Sep 1999
 30 
  Sep 2000
 30 
  Sep 2001
 30 
  Sep 2002
 30 
  Sep 2003P


 Argyll and Clyde
 52
 74
 77
 94
 103


 Ayrshire and Arran
 55
 78
 70
 78
 92


 Borders
 92
 56
 66
 69
 98


 Dumfries and Galloway
 58
 43
 31
 41
 44


 Fife
 62
 103
 125
 106
 82


 Forth Valley
 112
 141
 167
 217
 122


 Grampian
 33
 35
 38
 42
 44


 Greater Glasgow
 77
 71
 81
 95
 92


 Highland
 41
 64
 72
 54
 83


 Lanarkshire
 78
 74
 79
 97
 86


 Lothian
 68
 55
 63
 69
 92


 Orkney
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Shetland
 *
 *
 30
 29
 *


 Tayside
 56
 57
 70
 61
 55


 Western Isles
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Scotland
 58
 62
 65
 70
 72



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  Notes:

  PProvisional.

  *Information not shown due to small numbers.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times For In-patient and Day Case Treatment in The Specialty Of Rheumatology, by NHS Board of Residence: Years Ended 30 September 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003P.

  

 
 Median 
  Wait (days)


 NHS Board
 30 
  Sep 1999
 30 
  Sep 2000
 30 
  Sep 2001
 30 
  Sep 2002
 30 
  Sep 2003P


 Argyll and Clyde
 8
 10
 7
 7
 6


 Ayrshire and Arran
 10
 12
 13
 9
 12


 Borders
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dumfries and Galloway
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Fife
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Forth Valley
 10
 9
 8
 4
 4


 Grampian
 7
 5
 5
 5
 10


 Greater Glasgow
 10
 12
 12
 13
 10


 Highland
 *
 *
 *
 *
 26


 Lanarkshire
 4
 7
 6
 7
 7


 Lothian
 12
 14
 14
 12
 15


 Orkney
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Shetland
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Tayside
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Western Isles
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Scotland
 8
 9
 7
 9
 8



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

  Notes:

  PProvisional.

  *Information not shown due to small numbers.

National Health Service

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5817 by Hugh Henry on 10 February 2004, how much funding has been allocated through grant aided expenditure to each NHS board for drug rehabilitation in each year since 1999.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5590 by Hugh Henry on 27 January 2004, how much funding was allocated to each NHS board for drug treatment services in 1999-2000.

Hugh Henry: Grant aided expenditure is used to support rehabilitation services provided by local authorities. Funding for NHS boards to support drug treatment services is allocated from the Health Department budget. Details of allocations to NHS boards for drug treatment services are set out in the table. NHS boards and local authorities can also support drug treatment and rehabilitation services from their core budgets.

  

 NHS Board
 Allocation 1998-99
 Allocation 1999-2000
 Allocation 2000-01
 Allocation 2001-02
 Allocation 2002/03/04


  
 £ (000)
 £ (000)
 £ (000)
 £ (000)
 £ (000)


 Argyll and Clyde
 709
 901
 984
 1,111
 1,338


 Ayrshire and Arran
 403
 535
 609
 737
 987


 Borders
 68
 96
 118
 160
 162


 Dumfries and Galloway
 61
 96
 124
 298
 258


 Fife
 328
 445
 514
 698
 789


 Forth Valley
 103
 172
 226
 462
 557


 Grampian
 750
 972
 1,085
 1,283
 1,313


 Greater Glasgow*
 2,871
 3,502
 3,670
 4,387*
 4,488


 Highland
 86
 137
 181
 300
 414


 Lanarkshire
 333
 497
 607
 862
 1,449


 Lothian
 2,263
 2,776
 2,922
 3,214
 3,539


 Orkney
 11
 16
 20
 24
 32


 Shetland
 28
 37
 42
 46
 55


 Tayside
 933
 1,151
 1,225
 1,348
 1,483


 Western Isles
 13
 20
 25
 43
 87


 Total Scotland
 8,960
 11,352
 12,352
 14,973
 16,951



  Note: *Funding does not include additional resources of £250,000 allocated to Greater Glasgow NHS Board in 2001-02 or £500,000 in 2002-03 to meet the treatment costs of the Glasgow Drug Court pilot.

National Health Service

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what deaf awareness training is available for (a) NHS staff, (b) medical undergraduates and (c) nursing undergraduates.

Malcolm Chisholm: As all training and development for employees is undertaken locally by each board or individual NHS employer.

  Boards’ audiology services should have access to and provide appropriate means of communicating (e.g. BSL, lip speaking etc) for all patients with appointments whose primary form of communication is not written or spoken language. All staff in audiology departments should receive accredited deaf awareness training. All new staff should have received basic training in, for example, BSL to facilitate communication.

  In addition, boards locally offer, during induction training, learning and development opportunities for all staff in deaf awareness and sign language. For those staff who are unable to attend training courses there are guidelines available on how to work with people with a hearing loss.

  General practitioners are expected to identify their own personal learning needs to better provide for the health needs of their patients and to seek training accordingly. Guidance and assistance is available to GPs from NHS Education for Scotland (NES) via the Postgraduate Directors of General Practice Education.

  Training for hospital doctors in deaf awareness, is currently delivered through Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes, which are organised and approved by the medical Royal Colleges. Guidance and assistance is available to hospital doctors from NHS Education for Scotland via the Postgraduate Deans and Tutors.

  The responsibility for determining the educational requirements for all medical and nursing undergraduates rests with the General Medical Council (GMC) for medical undergraduates and the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nursing undergraduates and the Health Professional Council (HPC) for Allied Health Professions (AHP) students. These professional bodies determine the content of the courses and decides the standard of expertise to be maintained. Currently some first year nursing and midwifery students are receiving deaf awareness training.

  Also, there is available Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP) training and for the future we are at the moment working in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland and the Scottish Council on Deafness to developing a CACDP Certificate in Deaf Awareness for healthcare professionals.

Public Bodies

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what protocol is being developed to allow for interaction between it and the Director of OFCOM for Scotland and whether there are any plans for the Executive to have involvement in, and the Parliament to scrutinise, OFCOM’s annual plan.

Mr Frank McAveety: Broadcasting regulation is reserved. However, the Executive expects to have close working relationships with OFCOM, including with its office and Director in Scotland. We are in discussion with OFCOM over our arrangements for engagement with the new regulator. The Executive has submitted a response to OFCOM’s draft annual plan and this will be available on OFCOM’s web-site, www.est.co.uk/schri , in due course.

Public Private Partnerships

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the sustainable development criteria requirements for school PPP projects as set out in Building a Better Scotland .

Peter Peacock: The commitment in Building a Better Scotland is continued in Partnership for a Better Scotland, which indicates  that new schools should demonstrate commitment to the highest design and environmental standards. This is being taken forward through the School Estate Strategy. Building our Future: Scotland’s School Estate includes sustainable development as a key element in the shaping of the future school estate. The Executive has also held two national conferences focusing on the school estate which have highlighted examples of environmentally friendly design and encouraged authorities to use Green Public Private Partnerships, a guidance note on how to include environmental considerations within PPP projects.

Race Relations

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers local authorities have to take action in respect of nightclubs operating racially discriminatory entry policies.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is not aware that local authorities have any specific powers to take action in the circumstances described. Nightclubs and other premises which are open to the public are subject to the Race Relations Act 1976.

Renewable Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the study by the academic sector and Scottish transmission companies to determine how renewables generation can be matched with demand, as proposed in Securing a Renewable Future: Scotland's Renewable Energy.

Lewis Macdonald: Following a competitive tender exercise, the contract to conduct this study has been awarded to the University of Edinburgh. The study is expected to be completed in March 2005.

Scottish Water

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6141 by Allan Wilson on 9 March 2004, what views and proposals it will make to Scottish Water regarding the bonus scheme for directors and senior management.

Allan Wilson: The Executive requires that the performance targets set are robust, challenging and relate to Scottish Water’s targets for financial performance, drinking water quality, customer service and environmental compliance.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what transport infrastructure projects are scheduled to commence construction in each of the next seven years; what the estimated costs are of each such project, and what the estimated additional costs are of any delay in any such project.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5044 on 27 January 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.